25, July 2017

V.O. Chidambaranar Port has bagged National Award for Excellence in Cost Management for the year 2016 from ‘The Institute of Cost Accountants of India’ under the category “Transportation and Logistics”.

—-

Ramayana and Krishna Circuits

Ramayana Circuit and Krishna Circuit are among the thirteen thematic circuits identified for development under Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

“Recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends or relatives, and attending a short term yoga programme”.

The e-Visa requirement have also been liberalized and simplified recently. The window for application under e-Visa has been increased from 30 days to 120 days. The duration of stay in India under e-Visa has also been increased from 30 days to 60 days.

—-

Aarambh app for Road maintenance

The government has launched a mobile app- Aarambh- for road maintenance.

This Mobile Phone App aims at use of GIS based mapping for making road inventories, condition surveys, and producing cost estimates and other relevant data for preparation and monitoring of annual road maintenance plans.

Its usage would greatly enhance the service delivery of the state level institutions in planning and implementing performance based rural roads maintenance contracts.

—-

1.Meet on island developmentSource: PIB

Island Development Agency (IDA)

The Union Home Minister presented the vision for developing India’s maritime economy while preserving the natural eco-system and addressing the security concerns. He emphasized upon the need for sustainable development of Islands with people’s participation. The decision was taken at the first meeting of the newly- constituted Islands Development Agency (IDA).

Ten islands Smith, Ross, Aves, Long and Little Andaman in Andaman & Nicobar and Minicoy, Bangaram, Suheli, Cherium and Tinnakara in Lakshadweep have been identified for development in the first phase

The IDA was set up on June 1 this year following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s review meeting for the development of islands

The meetings of the agency are chaired by the Union Home Minister.

Members of the IDA include cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary (environment, forests and climate change), secretary (tourism) and secretary (tribal welfare).

The Bill seeks to consolidate the laws relating to admiralty jurisdiction, legal proceedings in connection with vessels, their arrest, detention, sale and other related matters

Earlier only the High Courts of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras could take up maritime cases

The Bill extends the power to the High Courts of Karnataka, Kerala, Hyderabad, Orissa and Gujarat, besides any other High Courts as notified by the Centre

As per the new Bill, High Courts of all the coastal states shall exercise admiralty jurisdiction over maritime claims which include several aspects not limited to goods imported and chattel as earlier, but also other claims such as payment of wages of seamen, loss of life, salvages, mortgage, loss or damage, services and repairs, insurance, ownership and lien, threat of damage to environment etc.

The Bill accords highest priority to payment of wages of the seafarers.

The Bill also provides for protection against wrongful and unjustified arrest and has provision for transfer of cases from one High Court to other High Court.

The Minister of Women & Child Development launched an online complaint management system titled Sexual Harassment electronic–Box (SHe-Box) for registering complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace in New Delhi . The complaint management system has been developed to ensure the effective implementation of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act (the SH Act), 2013.

This portal is an initiative to provide a platform to women working or visiting any office of Central Government (Central Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Undertakings, Autonomous Bodies and Institutions etc.) to file complaints related to sexual harassment at workplace under the SH Act. Those who had already filed a written complaint with the concerned Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) constituted under the SH Act are also eligible to file their complaint through this portal. The SHe-Box portal can be accessed at the link given below:http://www.wcd-sh.nic.in/

It is also an effort to provide speedier remedy to women facing sexual harassment at workplace as envisaged under the SH Act.

Once a complaint is submitted to the portal, it will be directly sent to the ICC of the concerned Ministry/Department/PSU/Autonomous Body etc. having jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint. Through this portal, WCD as well as complainant can monitor the progress of inquiry conducted by the ICC.

The Bill seeks to empower the RBI to resolve the problem of stressed assets, even as the Opposition demanded that it be sent to a standing committee for scrutiny.

The Bill allows the RBI to open an insolvency resolution process in respect of specific stressed assets.

The RBI will also be authorized to issue directives for resolution and appoint authorities or committees to advise the banking companies on stressed asset resolution.

—-

5.SC ready to revisit Lodha reformsSource: The Hindu

The Supreme Court on Monday said it was ready to revisit, if not modify, some key recommendations as they “may not be a good idea in this country”

Primary among the recommendations of the Justice Lodha panel which may come under scrutiny is the “one State, one vote policy”.

Another is the capping of the number of members of the senior selection committee at three, all of them to be former Test players. The BCCI last year stuck to its conventional five members.

The Bench said it would hear the BCCI, the State cricket associations and member bodies on issues such as “memberships, number of votes” in an effort to make the running of “cricket, the gentleman’s game” come as close to perfect as possible.

China to safeguard its security interests at “any cost” as its sovereignty was indomitable for them. The assertion was made ahead of this week’s National Security Advisers’ (NSA) talks to resolve the standoff.

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is set to travel to Beijing this week to attend the BRICS NSAs’ meeting scheduled to be held from July 27-28 during which he is expected to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

—-

7.Vande Mataram must be sung in all educational institutions once a week: Madras High CourtSource: The Indian Express

The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered that “Vande Mataram” must be played and sung in all schools, colleges and universities at least once a week, preferably on Monday or Friday

Vande Matharam” should be played and sung in all government offices and institutions, private companies, factories and industries at least once a month, Madras High Court has ordered

A person who has difficulty in singing the national song will not be compelled or forced to sing it provided there are valid reasons.

Vinoba IAS Academy is one of the leading centers dedicated to the noble objective of training and tutoring the civil service aspirants. Our aim is to not just provide the educational coaching but also to walk the student step by step through the much needed detailed guidance, touching every aspect of training for the exams.